Wednesday, April 30, 2014

From Bourdillion Road, through Falomo, to Awolowo Road, Ikoyi
before berthing at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) the colours of the
participants at the Lagos carnival 2014, called LASGIDI, on Easter
Monday, reflected the glory of the rising sun and the variegated hues
of the setting sun as they danced all the way.
As the participants danced, it was endless fun, merriment and time
for making new friends watching the crowd that lined the routes and
those that found their ways into the 60,000 capacity TBS. Local and
foreign tourists were seen dancing to musical vibes dished out by the
DJ.
The Lagos carnival, in its fifth year, is an expression of the
creative talents of young Lagosians who produced all the costumes
worn by the participants as well as the floats and effigies used by
the various bands during the procession that lasted eight
hours.
According to Governor Raji Fashola, the carnival represents the
real spirit of Lagos which is a spirit of prosperity after
prosperity.
The Lagos carnival, which is a beautiful recreation of the age
long tradition of Brazilian Lagos as pioneered by Brazilian returnees
Emancipados, was given added impetus through a colourful display of
music and dance by various groups.
As early as seven in the morning, Awolowo Road, Campos Square, and
TBS was already bubbling with participants as the children bands took
over the vast field of the national museum for the take off of their
street procession.
CHILDREN BAND
Over 40 schools, drawn from the six educational districts across
Lagos State, participated in the carnival that preceded the adults
carnival.
David Oyeniyi and Oyedun Debora of the District One Band were
happy being part of the carnival as it has afforded them the
opportunity of making new friends, just as they looked forward to
taking part in subsequent carnivals.

ADULTS CARNIVAL
The adults carnival was bold and loud as the groups representing
specific neighbourhoods in the state came in costumes that drew
applause from the crowd.
Locomotion Band, one of the several adults bands, caused commotion
with its costumes as the crowd was wowed with the band’s innovative
yellow and black dress.
The over 150-member band, in replica of the performance that won
them the best carnival band, last year, was delightful to watch with
their high energy, well choreographed dance steps and bands stripped
round their necks resonating beats of the popular songs.
It was not all about dancing by the Locomotion Band, they also
came with a message of hope, unity and a thought for the Nigerian
child.
The Ikoyi Legacy group, participating in the carnival for the
first time, was not intimidated by other bands as it brought vibrancy
to the show . Their procession has a lot of interesting and
intriguing moves that included flips, acrobatics.
The bevy of dancers in the band, Sunday Vanguard learnt, were
choreographed by Segun Adefila who blended the dancing steps of the
band with Nigerian hip-hop and other African vibes that created an
entirely new flavour.
Other bands worthy of mention are the Lafiaji, Ogba, Ketu,
Oko-Faji and Emerald bands. The Emerald Band stood out in their
splendid lemon green costumes worn by carefully selected array of
energetic, beautiful young ladies who had what it takes to dance.
The chairman of the Carnival Committee, Disun Holloway, who is
also the state’s commissioner or Tourism, said the costumes, which
gave the event its main character, received enormous attention as it
took several months to prepare.
“Preparation involves dozens of gifted hands sketching,
designing, redesigning, cutting and sewing all the fabric used. It
also includes fabricating sails, head-gears, backpacks, floats and
effigies used by the various bands during the carnival procession.”

ECONOMY
The commissioner added the carnival is one vehicle through which
the creativity and the resourcefulness of the young men and women of
the Lagos State Skills Acquisition Centres is exhibited.
The carnival, apart from empowering the youth, is also
repositioning the lives of Lagosians in different ways. The venue of
the carnival and adjoining streets were taken over by traders.
One of the organisers said the carnival has helped many in several
ways. “Can you imagine what volume of business the hotels,
restaurants and corner shops in this vicinity would have made today
not to talk of the professionals that have made additional source of
income during the duration of the carnival?.’he asked.
The Minister of Culture and Tourism, Edem Duke, said the carnival
will further boost the nation’s economy and expose the rich
culture of the country to the world, as he calls for local content
in future carnival organization.
PEACE
Governor Babatunde Fashola, who was joined by his wife, Abimbola,
and Deputy Governor, Hon (Mrs) Adejoke Orelope Adefulire, used the
occasion to reiterate the need for peaceful co-existence and urged
everyone to remain vigilant and be his brother’s keeper.
BOAT REGATTA
Preceding the Lagos carnival was the water regatta on Easter
Sunday at the Civic Centre, Lekki and Falomo Waterfront,
Ikoyi, where residents and tourists were treated to the best of water
display of culture, tradition and aquatic splendour.
Large boats colourfully decorated adorned the
water ways. The men in the boats later danced and rowed to show
agility and their prowess in handling water sports.
The Lagos State water regatta is water based cultural sporting and
recreational activities put together to show diverse functions of the
boat in the yesteryears, from community to community.
The fiesta featured a parade of decorated floats on the creeks
around Ikoyi and Victoria Island with the parade consisting of large
fishing boats, ferries, barges and other marine vessels depicting
social cultural tradition, folklores and occupational aspects of the
people of Lagos.
A major highlight of this year’s edition is the ‘Regatta
Village’, which consists of exhibition stands, viewing centres
where all the activities on water were for inspection.
The Fun Park and other fun activities for children were equally a
plus for the event as they were treated to the best of comedy and
music.

- See more at:
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/04/bold-loud-brazilian-lagos/#sthash.Tx1mHDFq.dpuf

Hamad International Airport welcomed a celebratory Qatar Airways’
VIP flight this morning, upon the airport’s highly anticipated soft
opening.
The Qatar Airways A320 aircraft, which left Doha International
Airport just before 11:00am, landed on Hamad International Airport’s
Easterly runway shortly afterwards. Upon arrival, QR7450 was greeted by a
traditional water salute and a warm welcome from gathering crowds at
gate B3, on one of the airport’s new concourses.
Onboard the inaugural flight to Hamad International Airport were VIPs
and other dignitaries, including; Minister of Transportation, His
Excellency Mr. Jassim Al Sulaiti, Chief Executive Officer of Qatar
Airways, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker and Chairman of the Qatar
Civil Aviation Authority, His Excellency Mr. Abdul Aziz Mohammad Al
Noaimi.
Also onboard were NDIA Project Director, Mr. Bernardo Gogna, together
with other members of the New Doha International Airport Steering
Committee, Mr. Nassr Al Ansari, Mr. Mohammad Al Meer, Mr. Abdulla Al
Muraikhi, Mr Abdulla Al Asiri, Mr. Eissa Al Rumaihi, Mr. Ali Al Abdulla,
Mr. Saad Al Otaibi and Dr. Jaffar Abdulrahim. Joining them were Manager
of Airport Security, Mr. Eissa Arrar Al Romaihi, Manager of Airport
Immigration, Colonel Mohamed Al Mazroui and Aeronautical College
Manager, Mr. Ali Al Malki.QR7450 is greeted by a traditional water salute upon arrival at HIA
Following the soft launch today, 10 airlines are now operating fully from Hamad International Airport. These are;
Biman Bangladesh Airlines, flydubai, Air Arabia, Iran Air, Air India
Express, Yemenia, Pakistan International Airlines, Syrian Airlines,
Pegasus Airlines and Nepal Airlines.
Qatar Airways will move its entire hub operations to Hamad International Airport on 27th May.
Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al
Baker said: “It is a historic moment, not only in the history of our
airline, but for the State of Qatar, to see this Qatar Airways VIP
flight touch down at the newly opened Hamad International Airport.
“Today’s highly anticipated opening of the new airport signifies to
the world that Doha is now ready to open its doors for passengers to
experience an airport that transforms the travel experience, and it is
with much excitement that we await the move of all Qatar Airways flights
to this new facility on the 27th May.”
Hamad International Airport is the world’s latest global gateway and
will raise the bar on passenger expectations, thanks to its
state-of-the-art facilities and passenger focused design.
Designed to accommodate 30 million passengers annually, rising to 50
million upon full completion, the airport covers an area of 29 sq kms
and is 60 per cent built on land reclaimed from the Gulf.
Qatar Airways, the national carrier for the State of Qatar, will
officially move to Hamad International Airport on the 27th May. The
airline has seen rapid growth in just 17 years of operation, to the
point where today it is flying a modern fleet of 134 aircraft to 138 key
business and leisure destinations across Europe, the Middle East,
Africa, Asia Pacific, North America and South America.
Inaugural flight QR7450 touches down at HIA

Monday, April 28, 2014

Qatar Airways’ highly anticipated arrival of its A380 fleet moved one
step closer today, with the annoucement that from 17th June the
aircraft will commence operations on the popular London Heathrow route
from Doha’s new hub, Hamad International Airport.
With a customised interior meeting the high-demand specifications of
Qatar Airways, the airline’s new A380s will undoubtedly be the talk of
travellers at Qatar’s new Hamad International Airport when the first
aircraft enters service.
The first of 13 such aircraft on order, Qatar Airways is set to
receive three A380 aircraft in quick succession this summer and the new
aircraft will commence operations on the QR003 and QR004 London-Heathrow
route.
Featuring a tri-class configuration of seating in First, Business and
Economy Class, over two decks, the A380 is the largest passenger jet in
the world and will provide a superior traveller experience to the
airline’s customers.
The new First Class A380 seat, recently revealed at the world’s
leading travel show, ITB Berlin, features a 90-inch seat pitch,
transforming into a fully flat bed, together with an expansive choice of
entertainment options displayed on individual 26-inch television
screens.

The new A380 First Class cabin and a famous London landmark, Tower Bridge.

Chief Executive Officer of Qatar Airways, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al
Baker said: “It is a significant moment in our airline’s history to
welcome these aircraft into our rapidly expanding fleet. Operating on
the Doha to London Heathrow route, these aircraft, with their customised
cabins, will set a new level of comfort for our passengers, who will
also benefit from a smooth and pleasant passenger experience at the
world’s newest airport, Hamad International Airport, the soon to be
opened new home of Qatar Airways.
“We are committed to offering our passengers the best possible
experience when it comes to travelling with the airline, not only in
terms of custom-built comfort features across all of our cabins, but
with the continued expansion of our young and modern fleet.”
The arrival this year of the airline´s first A380 marks a significant
milestone for the airline, whose future home, Hamad International
Airport (HIA), has been specially designed to cater to the aircraft,
with six contact gates designed specifically for the superjumbo. In
addition, the maintenance hangar at HIA – which is the largest in the
world – is able to accommodate two A380s simultaneously.
Qatar Airways is also celebrating a year of intensive fleet growth
and recently becoming a member of the oneworld global alliance network.
In addition to the 13 A380 aircraft the airline currently has on order,
Qatar Airways is also set this year to welcome the first of 80 A350
aircraft, the world’s newest aircraft, as Airbus’ launch customer. This
forms part of Qatar Airways plans to significantly expand its fleet with
300 additional aircraft on order, worth more than US $50
billion, including the Boeing 787 and 777X.
Qatar Airways has seen rapid growth in just 17 years of operation, to
the point where today it is flying a modern fleet of 131 aircraft to
137 key business and leisure destinations across Europe, the Middle
East, Africa, Asia Pacific, North America and South America.

Sunday, April 27, 2014

Qatar Airways, the award-winning five-star airline,
has added an extra benefit to its mobile application, with the addition of a
dedicated Privilege Club function.

The new functionality, which comes on the back of
the successful launch of the Qatar Airways mobile application last year,
enables passenger’s lives to be connected to their full and detailed Privilege
Club membership information, at the touch of a button.

This fully integrated application will now enable
customers to check their benefits and activities, use the Qcalculator to
calculate Qmiles that can be earned or required for redemption, claim any
missing Qmiles, cancel any pending award bookings, while also receiving
tailored offers to meet their individual needs.

This new line of service allows the Doha-based
carrier to enhance its five-star passenger service with value added benefits,
as passengers can already search for, book flights and check their flight
status, while following any relevant travel alerts.

Qatar Airways Chief
Executive Officer, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker said: “We continually look
for ways to bring new and exciting services to our customers. Mobility is
increasingly important in a world where people may have to change or adapt
their travel plans at the last moment. Our mobile application not only allows
passengers to have all their flight information in the palm of their hand, but
now enables Privilege Club members access to a whole new level of five-star
service.”

Passengers can
download the application from their respective app stores or by visiting qatarairways.com/mobile and following the links to the iPhone, BlackBerry
or Android smartphone app stores. Customers who have already downloaded the
application will automatically receive an update with the added Privilege Club
functionality.

Qatar Airways has seen
rapid growth in just 17 years of operations, currently flying a modern fleet of
131 aircraft to 137 key business and leisure destinations across Europe, the
Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific and the Americas.

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Lagos State
Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN) has said that the newly
commissioned Eko Signature, a part of the Eko Hotels and Suites in
Victoria Island, represents a vote of confidence in the policies and
programme of the state government.

Speaking with
journalists after commissioning the 166 rooms addition to the Eko
Hotels and Suites, Fashola said the new outfit represents a vote of
confidence in the policies and the programme that the State
Government has implemented towards ensuring that businesses thrive.

“From my part,
it represents the vote of confidence in the policies and the
programmes that the government in the state has implemented towards
ensuring that businesses thrive here, polices of efficiency, service
delivery, access to justice, protection of citizens rights,
proprietary and personal and I think that security of life and
property”.

He explained
that as a deliberate policy, the State created for the first time a
Ministry of Tourism because of its belief that it is a sector that
has not been fully and appropriately measured and its potentials have
not really come on stream.

“As the
transport assets improves, tourism is all about destination, if you
can’t get there, there is no tourism so as the transport assets
that we are building road, rail and ferry increase in sufficient
quantity, we would see the full impact of these but also as a
government we are helping to harmonise the payment of operational
cost, levies, business taxes in a way that it is easy and conducive
for businesses”.

“The message
that is coming to me is that the rates are reasonable but the
administrative processes for paying them are proving some challenge.
We have harmonized that as a government”, Fashola stated

The Governor
noted that the new hotel is a kind of investment that creates
cascading opportunities for not only people who would be directly
employed there but people whose businesses would be defined by what
happens there.

The Governor’s
sentiment was shared by the chairman of Eko Hotels, Mr. Richard Herb
as he said that the Eko
Signature is a giant stride in their commitment to sustain the
state’s prime vision of placing Lagos State in the list of
recognized mega-cities of the world.

While
noting that the
peace and serene environment provided by the Lagos State Government
created necessary impetus for the growth
in the state, he said the company
has provided direct employment to close to 200 graduates thereby
providing for the well-being of the citizenry.

“Indeed,
the peace and serene environment provided by the Lagos State
Government created necessary impetus for the said growth as Tourism
is fragile and it responds negatively to inclement environmental
situation.

It
is the growth so created and the prospective growth in the Industry
that encouraged the expansion of our business by the creation of Eko
Signature.”

Richard Herb
disclosed that the new Hotel is equipped with the state of art
facilities to further enshrine their emerging taste for quality and
excellent service in the hospitality industry.

Ngozi
Ngoka, the CEO, Zigona Travel is passionate about the travel trade
business . As the Publicity Secretary of the National Association of
Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA), she believes that the internet can’t
take the place of a travel agent.

In
this interview, she talks about the travel trade business in this
country and other issues relating to tourism. Here is an excerpt by JIMOH BABATUNDE

On the
challenges of marketing Nigeria as a leisure destination

Before you
can market a product, the product first of all, needs to be properly
packaged and branded. We need to develop a strong, recognized and
consistent brand and image for Nigeria before we can promote it as a
Tourist Destination.

The
Nigerian .Brand should be based on our values and build upon what
makes us different or our unique selling point. Another challenge we
face is that we do not currently have a coordinated and consistent
approach to positioning and promoting Nigeria as a destination.

Although
we have quite a few tourism initiatives in Nigeria, some of which
have evolved without any planning, we need to be aware that effective
destination management relies on an iterative and continual planning
process that integrates tourism into our country's social, economic
and environmental aspirations. Policies need to be put in place to
harness all the Tourism initiatives

We
currently have, our hotels are not properly rated and strict
standards are not enforced. Our airports and transportation systems
need to also be standardized. Strategic planning for tourism must be
developed and should align and integrate with national and state
policy and plans. When all these measures are adequately addressed,
we can then talk about marketing.

On
in-bound travel into Nigeria

Nigerian
inbound tourism is mostly skewed towards business travelers. Lately,
however, the Abuja and Calabar carnivals are beginning to attract
visitors from outside the country. But these are just a little
fraction of our Tourism potential as a country. We need to look at
other areas such as Religious and Cultural institutions and see how
we can secure and improve on their locations in order to attract more
tourists.

On
Nigeria participation at travel fairs

I think
that Nigeria should suspend further participation in any Tourism expo
outside our shores until we have improved upon what we have to
showcase to the outside world. We need to channel our resources
towards creating and sustaining our own brand before we showcase it
to the outside world.

Home grown
trade shows like Akwaaba Travel Market, which is held yearly in
Nigeria should' also be encouraged so that they are able to bring
Tourism buyers into the country.

On what
the country needs to develop the tourism industry

We need to
develop on our existing Tourism Policy at the national and state
levels in order to provide a framework for tourism development and
management in Nigeria. In doing this, we should identify the
different tourism stakeholders and understand the linkages between
decision making and government institutions and the tourism plans at
the national, state and local government levels.

We also
have to consider other relevant plans such as economic development,
infrastructure, environment, sport, culture and of course, transport,
tourism involves a complex interaction between all these sectors

Furthermore,
strong public /private sector partnerships are essential to providing
the tourism
industry with the opportunity to influence and inform tourism policy
and planning and also provide the certainty needed to encourage
investment in the sector.

I am
pretty confident however, that
the
current leadership at the Ministry of culture and Tourism are on top
of all these as we are already seeing some changes.

On the
relevancies of travel agents in age of ICT

There are
several good reasons why you should use a travel agent but the bottom
line is that travel agents know much more than you can possibly learn
after a few hours of looking for deals on the web.

We are
better connected and have access to benefits you can't possibly get
on line; and the best part is
that
travel agents provide you with a safety net during your trip that you
simply can't get by booking on line. If
you
ever had an emergency while on a trip, one can only hope that you
made your travel plans through your travel agent.

To be
honest, not everyone needs a travel agent these days. If you need a
cheap flight and accommodation and don't really care much about
comfort, you can easily find that on line.

If you are
flying in premium class (or private jet); staying in 4 or 5 star
accommodation, planning complicated itineraries with multiple stops,
planning complex airline routings or taking any trips using
guides/drivers or local experts, any trip to a destination where you
do not already know, or any cultural travel or safaris, you would be
making a
costly
mistake not to use a travel agent.

When I say
travel agent, I mean real professionals. The best travel agents are
essentially travel consultants because it is their advice, expertise
and connections that are of value, not the ability to print air
tickets for you.

Some of us
have become hyper specialized and in some cases like booking a
cruise, golf vacation, destination event planning, you will want to
seek out a niche specialist. But for most travelers,
it is
better to find an excellent travel consultant and stick with them,
because a big part of the equation is that we get to know you, your
likes and dislikes and make suggestions accordingly.

Among the
many advantages which agents bring to the table is
personal connections
and clout. A
number
of our agents are very well traveled and know a lot of people in the
travel and tourism business.

Consequently,
we
are able
to get our customers rare deals at very short
notice even when
the facility on demand is "sold out". Also your agent books
lots and lots
of
rooms, tickets and tours so the airlines and hotel management are
bound to bend over backwards to please
them.

On how
the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies {NANTA) has been
able to protect the interest members

NANTA as a
body
has ensured that many agents that would have closed shop by now, have
remained in business by ensuring the introduction of the Billing
Settlement Plan (BSP) into the Nigerian market.

Those of
us who have been in the business for some time now, know how
difficult it was to be a travel agent in the past, With the BSP,
things are so much easier.

NANTA is
also
working
with our relevant trade partners to introduce more insurance
companies into the scheme. Last year, we negotiated with our
principles to allow our members to choose between Default Insurance
Policy and Bank guarantee options for BSP. All these are our more
recent achievements.

We have
also engaged Airlines , sometimes with the help of the NCAA, when the
former have engaged in unfair practices like publishing disparate
fares on line and in the GDS's Fare disparity portends a huge problem
for
our
members because our customers never understand why they can obtain
disparate fares from the agent/airline office/on line.

We even
took our case to the
National
Assemble, where we made useful presentation to
the
Senate Committee on Aviation. NANTA has set up a monitoring committee
to ensure that all the airlines comply.

All our
activities
are aimed at creating an enabling environment for our member's
businesses to prosper. We are creating a brand that will make our
members the preferred choice for travellers. Our brand is
now
known and valued for providing quality and reliable service.

On fake
travel agents and what is NANTA is doing to forestall future
occurrence

Yes, we
issued a press statement after series of reports had gone out in the
electronic and print media about how some "travel agents"
had collected money from intending hajj pilgrims under false
pretences and was now at large.

We
informed the general public that all legitimate Travel Agencies are
registered with the National association of Nigeria Travel Agencies
(NANTA). We also advised the general public to visit the website of
National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) in order to ascertain
the authentic list of Licensed Tour Operators for Hajj and Umrah.

NANTA blacklists Travel Agencies that default on their
responsibilities to passengers, airlines and financial institutions
and actively conducts periodic checks on all registered Travel
Agencies.

Located at The
Village at The Dubai Mall, the Emirates A380 Experience introduces visitors to the flight
deck of the world’s most modern aircraft, allowing guests to experience the
thrill of landing and taking off from 12 of the world’s busiest airports in
different weather conditions. Adding to the excitement, guests will be scored
on how well they navigate the aircraft, allowing them to compete against family
and friends. This is the airline’s second such project, having launched
the Emirates Aviation Experience in London last year to a strong public
reception.

“Emirates is the
largest operator of the A380 with 47 in our fleet, and it is an immensely
popular aircraft with our customers. We are delighted to present aviation
enthusiasts with another unique perspective to the world’s largest passenger
aircraft with the Emirates A380 Experience. Based on what we’ve seen in the UK, we believe
the Emirates A380 Experience will be a very popular activity for mall visitors
as well as for team building activity from corporate groups,” said Sheikh
Ahmed.

“By bringing the
Emirates A380 Experience and the Emirates Official Store to Dubai Mall, we aim
to connect with a broader audience in a high-traffic lifestyle environment and
provide them with a piece of the Emirates brand experience regardless of when
they next travel,” he added.

Guests of the
Emirates A380 Experience will have the chance to fly past Paris’
historic sites, soar over the canals of Amsterdam,
and take in Hong Kong’s unmistakable
cityscape, all on high-definition screens.

Just steps away,
the newest Emirates Official Store carries the airline’s full range of
merchandise - everything from model aircraft and clothing to the Little
Travellers collection and travel accessories and will stock the full line of
football shirts from the airline’s global sponsorships. The store is the
airline’s 10th retail location in the region, and its first outlet
in a mall.

Starting as a
line of corporate giveaways, Emirates has progressively developed its range of
branded merchandise eventually launching its first Emirates Official Store in
1996. Emirates merchandise has grown in both range and popularity, and can
be found being used, worn, collected and displayed by its customers and fans
around the world. With hundreds of items on offer, shoppers at The Dubai
Mall can take home a piece of Emirates as a memento or gifts for their loved
ones.

Both the
Emirates Official Store and Emirates A380 Experience at the Dubai Mall are open
now.

Monday, April 14, 2014

Lagosians home and abroad will once again converge at the
waterfront pier on Oyinkan Abayomi Drive, Ikoyi Lagos on Easter
Sunday for the 5th edition of the Lagos Water Regatta; a
fun filled water-based cultural sporting and recreational activity put together
to showcase the aquatic splendour of the state.

According to a statement by the organisers, signed by its Chairman, Engr.
Olusegun Jawando, the Lagos Water Regatta is an annual water-based cultural
sporting and recreational activity put together to showcase what the various
coastal communities have to offer in terms of water sport, cultural beauty and
aquatic splendor.
The event, planned to coincide with the Easter, is meant to energize the
tranquil nature of the Lagos
Island waterfront during
the festival and transform it into meeting point of colour, excitement and
beauty.
According to the Chairman, Lagos Water Regatta is part of the activities
lined up to celebrate the 2014 edition of the Lagos Black Heritage Festival.
“The regatta is a private sector led initiative with support from other corporate
bodies and the state Government to promote the tourism potential of the state,”
said Engr. Jawando.
“The Regatta will consist of large fishing boats, ferries,
barges and other marine vessels adorned with colours and
decorations depicting the social, cultural, traditional folklores
and occupational aspects of the Lagos people. “There will be a
parade of floats and canoes with traditional, cultural and social troupes
from 20 communities of the five divisions that make up the state.”
Engr. Jawando added that boats branded by sponsoring corporate
organisations and jet skis from members of the Aquamarine Boat Club would
participate in water racing and perform stunts to the delight of fun
seekers.
He then called on private organizations to support the good initiative of
the Lagos State Government by sponsoring boat branding and exhibitions to
showcase their brand to the millions of people home and abroad.

- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/04/lagos-water-regatta-set-easter-sunday-promises-fun-fill-event/#sthash.VwZ1Py2N.dpuf

The Managing Director, Jordan Tourism Board, Abdul Razzaq
Arabiyat, has disclosed that they are working hard to ease visa processing for
Nigerians as they intend marketing the religious sites in Jordan.
He said the tourism board is working hard to minimize the time for visa
processing from 30 days to 15 days.
Abdul Razzaq Arabiyat added “we are working on getting visa on arrival for
Nigerians as the Jordanian government has realized the importance of the
Nigerian market.
Speaking with selected Nigerian journalists during the week in Amman, he said Jordan is blessed with historical,
cultural and religious sites.

Place where Jesus was baptised in Jordan

Cultural and religious sites
Abdul Razzaq Arabiyat said the country before now has been marketing the
cultural and historical sites in the country, “but we are now changing strategy
as we have decided on marketing religious tourism.”
He explained that the Vatican has approved four places in the country as
pilgrim sites, “ two millennia ago, the area opposite Jericho has been
identified as the place where Jesus Christ was baptized by John the Baptist,
making it one of the focal Christian pilgrim sites.”
Abdul Razzaq Arabiyat added that the area known as Bethany
beyond Jordan has been
discovered between the Jordan River and
St.Elijah’s hill.
He said they are working on having 15000 religious leaders around the world
to see how pilgrimage can start from Jordan
as approved by the Vatican.
The Jordan Tourism Board disclosed that they will soon be having a road show
in Nigeria for tour
operators as part of their marketing strategy, noting that the direct flight of
Royal Jordanian Airways to Lagos
will boost tourism.
Abdul Razzaq Arabiyat noted that about 3.8 million tourists visit the
country with most of them from the Gulf countries, Europe and South
Africa “but we coming to Nigeria for tourists as one of the emerging
markets in Africa.”
He explained that the Jordanian government has invested more in tourism in
recent years, saying “tourism is our oil here in Jordan.”

- See more at:
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/03/jordan-targets-nigerias-religious-tourists/#sthash.kC7y6Tr5.dpuf

By Jimoh Babatunde
Since 1965 when a party of 300 Swedish tourists visited the Gambia, the
tourism industry has grown tremendously making the sector a major income
earner, but this is still a far cry from what the government wants to achieve.
The Permanent Secretary of the country’s Ministry of Tourism and Culture,
Mr. Momodu Joof, said the plan of the government is to make the country
an all year round destination as it is presently a seasonal destination.

Speaking
with some Nigerian journalists on a FAM trip of the nation, he said majority of
the tourists visiting the country are from Britain
and Scandinavian countries, “these tourists come during winter as they see the Gambia as a
destination they can enjoy sun, sand and beaches as well as also experience the
excitement of a real African holiday.”

Joof noted that this seasonality is not good for the industry as
most hotels close down during the off season leading to lay off of Gambians who
are employed in the hotels.
While noting that this is not good for the country’s economy, the Permanent
secretary of the tourism Ministry said they are looking forward to having
Nigerians fill the gap as Nigerians are high travellers.
“Nigeria can help solve
the seasonality of the Gambia
tourism market and this is why we are intensifying our marketing and promotion
in Nigeria
by engaging a reputable advertising firm to handle that for us.
“Nigeria and the Gambia share
close affinity; we have had Nigerians having weddings, conferences and
religious programs here in the past. They know that the Gambia is
safe.”
He promised that Nigerians will have lots to see in Gambia as the
country boost of mix of high quality facilities catering to the needs of all
categories of visitors.
Joof said the Gambia
has quality of hotels that are competitive in the African market, “what else
does Nigerians need for holidays?” He asked.
Speaking earlier the Director General, Gambia Tourism Board, Benjamin
Roberts, said that the country is rich in natural water ways that extend the
entire length of the country, providing excellent opportunities for water
sports, fishing and inland cruising.
“The Gambia’s
ecosystem also provides a sanctuary for over 50 species of birds, making the
country a favourite for birdwatchers from all over the world. Along the
country’s 80km coastal stretch, tourists can experience forest parks, bird
reserves, dolphin sightings and sky driving.”
Roberts disclosed that the country will be leveraging on the 80km coastal
stretch by organising water base sporting competition that will attract
tourists to the country soon.
He added that the Gambia
remains an attractive destination for visitors, primarily because of its
safety, “our people are known for their hospitality and smiles.
On air connectivity, Roberts said marketing a destination is important but
accessibility to the destination is more important, disclosing that the
government is making efforts to have more airlines fly into the country.

Rachel Joyce is a Briton who feels at home in Africa. She runs the Pleasure Sports Gambia, the operator
of a cruising boat on River Gambia.
In this interview with JIMOH BABATUNDE during a cruise to Juffureh and Port James
Island, the ancestral
home of Kunta Kinte, she shares her travelling experience. Excerpt :

On her first travelling experience

My first travelling experience outside of the UK
was Tunisia
when I was eight years old. It was nearly 40 years ago now. Tunisia in
those days was a very different country and it was a new experience for me as a
small girl then.
It was fascinating and I still remember probably every minute of it now.On how often she travels
How often I travel depends greatly on work, for instance here in the Gambia, if I travel it is either to Senegal or back to the UK to visit my
family.
Apart from that over the years, I have travelled extensively through Europe
and extensively through North Africa, particularly, Morocco.
When I was 40 years, I went on six months sabbatical and I went
backpacking through Morocco , I spent lot of time in southern Spain and I
travelled right through Morocco by road and rail system.
I started from Tangier, went through the mountain area, which was a
beautiful part of Morocco.
I went to Marrakesh;
saw the highest mountain covered in snow when it was 40 degrees.
I took the night sleepers from Casablanca
back to Tangier. I visited Rabat after spending
sometime in Casablanca
going through some villages’ right on the mountains. That part of Africa is very important to me.
I have families that live there too. I find Morocco very interesting and nice
place, with very nice people.
I have been to lot of places in Europe, I love Florence
in Italy.
I went with my daughter a few years ago and I have been to Milan. A long time ago, I went for my honey
moon in Italy, so I spent
time in Rome.On her best destination
Morocco
remains my best destination.On what she travels with
If I am packing, my medication is the first, I need a camera and these days,
I go with USB sticks to store things on, because there is no end to the
number of photos to snap. I also take a luggage scale to know the amount
of what everything weighs and sun hat.
I take a little clothing as much as possible.On what she reads on flight
I read a lot any way. If I am on the plane, I read the flight magazines, I
read about destinations I have not been to. Tourism is part of who I am apart
from business.
I read a lot of books and do a lot of cross words and so those are the kind
of things I take with me. I am not a magazine person. I like reading books as I
like to learn from what I am reading.On her best travelling experience
My best experience was probably again in Morocco. I went up to one of the
oldest monolithic stone circles and the guardian of those circles is a
wonderful man. He was there with his wife and son who was disabled and we
were trying to prepare a wheel chair or motorized chair for him and trying to
find different ways of him to self propel because the terrain is not so easy .
So we devised one for him. It was nice. They were looking after me. As soon
I got there, there was no issue like payment they looked after me like their
family member. I think that was a memory I will take along throughout my
life.On her worst travelling experience
It was probably getting mugged in Senegal. As I was working
down the street some guys were following me, I actually knew a guy was
following me but in fact they were four. One was in the front and two by my
sides, by the time we got to the main street in Dakar, the four of them closed in and that
was where I lost my passport, money and other items.On whether she tries local food when she travels
Yes, I always. For many years I was a vegetarian, but out of Europe I will try the local meat apart from pork. I think
an important part of learning about different culture is to experience the
traditions that include their food, the dance and their music.
Food is very important to every culture and person and so it is always good
to experience the food. Some you will like and some you don’t.On her best airline
I think one of the best airlines is Turkish airline. It was a very nice
experience with them. I have also used the Gambia Bird coming from Barcelona last year and
they gave excellent service too.On the cruise business
From my position everyday is different, there is a different dynamics on the
boat by the tourists we have and where they come from. Personally, I find every
tour interesting, you find people drawn to me especially the Europeans wanting
to know what it takes for another European to live in Africa.

- See more at:
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/04/never-boring-watching-dophins-river-gambia/#sthash.Yz4Ohjma.dpuf

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

“From
exciting kiddies Easter egg hunts to a lavish buffet meal offering at
the Papillion restaurant as well as great get-away offers on room
rates, these packages are created to keep customers happy and
satisfied”.

The
General Manager of the Hotel –Mr. Boris Bornman adds that “the
special offers running from the 17th
to the 20th
of April 2014 are largely targeted at visitors to the FCT as well as
Abuja patrons in the sense that people can stay here and experience a
fun Easter filled with memories that will last a life time”.

General
Manager Bornman says “we have not left out Health and Fitness; it
is going to be the best time ever at our Sheraton Abuja Fitness
Center with our well thought out Easter
Aerobics/Body Blasting work
out plan”. “This” he explained “is a map out of Strict but
relaxing work out activities which are guaranteed to help you build
6-pack abs, burn excess calories & maintain a healthy body
sculpture all for just N2,
000 only for walk-in guests”.

“The
children” he added “are not left out of the fun. Kids will enjoy
swimming sessions, water polo, football, taekwondo and lots more”.

The
Area Public Relations Manager for Starwood Hotels in Nigeria-Nanji
Tyem also explains “ Sheraton is the world’s gathering place and
in this regards our guests will have a range of entertaining options
from Barbecue nights at the poolside, exciting Social Hour at the
Lobby Bar to themed nights at the restaurants”.

Mr.
Bornman on a parting note mentions that “our services have become
more personalized as we consistently orient ourselves to the needs
and expectations of our clients; much more people are willing to
spend Holiday seasons here instead of going somewhere else. Everyone
is going to have a great time this Easter, that's a promise."

Monday, April 7, 2014

Qatar Airways has begun the rollout of QLOUD, an internally developed
mobility application for iPads, which will provide real time and
decision-relevant information to the airline’s pilots. Over 500 pilots
have already embraced the new technology with 500 more set to begin
using QLOUD over the next few weeks. All 2,500 Qatar Airways pilots are
expected to be using the QLOUD system by September this year.
Qatar Airways has been innovatively using mobility technology in its
various business functions for over three years, ensuring that its
workforce, whether on the ground or in air, are able to retrieve
decision-relevant information in real time, and in turn improve
operational efficiency and enhance customer service.

QLOUD allows pilots to check-in for duty and retrieve important
pre-flight information, such as their schedules, flight plans, maps,
weather information, details of the crew they are flying with, hotel and
destination information and dispatch briefs. This information is
accessed at a time and place of their convenience ahead of the flight
departure.
Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer, His Excellency, Mr. Akbar Al
Baker, said: “We are continually investing in mobile technology as a
means to provide our workforce with real-time information, when
required. Qatar Airways has always been, and continues to be, at the
forefront of implementing technology for the purposes of increasing
workforce productivity and efficiency, as well as enhancing customer
service. We have already rolled out an internally developed iPad-based
mobility application called QRUISE for our cabin crew which has been
extremely successful.”
QLOUD also provides Qatar Airways pilots with easy access to
operational documentation. Hard copies of flight operational manuals and
regulatory documentation, which can easily run into thousands of pages,
will become obsolete as soft copies will be made available on the
iPads. Updates to these documents will be completed automatically by
distributing relevant operational manuals and updates to all the pilots
through QLOUD programming, which includes acknowledgment of receipt from
the pilot. In addition, all the paper-based forms, which were being
filled out manually by pilots, have been replaced with electronic forms
as part of QLOUD.
QLOUD also aids pilots in scheduling their training, keeping track of
their certification and fully supports eLearning. The platform provides
easy access to all corporate applications required by pilots, including
their email, providing everything needed by the flight crew community
on a single device wherever and whenever they need it.
With Aviation Authorities approving iPads for use in the aircraft
deck, Qatar Airways intends to enhance QLOUD to supplement and support
on-board Electronic Flight Bag technology.

Emirates airline has increased its mobile presence with the
launch of the Emirates App for iPad on the global App Store.
Travel
aficionados and those curious about the world, can now explore over 130
Emirates destinations on six continents, and learn more about Emirates’
world-class services at a tap of a finger. Customers can directly download the App or visit the App Store and search for ‘Emirates’.
The Emirates App for iPad also makes it even easier for Emirates
customers to manage every aspect of their booking, whether on the road,
in the air or in the comfort of their homes. They can book flights,
select seats and meals, manage their Emirates Skywards frequent flyer
accounts, check in online, and download their boarding pass directly
from the app, amongst other features.

Personal flight details, product and service information are stored in the app, so users can view it offline too.
“The
Emirates App was designed for today’s new tribe of global travellers –
what we term “globalistas” – who are curious about the world, are mobile
and digitally connected, and expect simplicity at their fingertips,”
said Patrick Brannelly, Emirates’ Vice President, Corporate
Communications, Marketing and Brand, Product, Publishing, Digital and
Events.
“In some markets, we already see about 20 per cent of
visitors to emirates.com using iPads, and our customers are increasingly
using their iPads and mobile devices to book and manage their travel.
The Emirates App has been designed to make this process even easier,
faster and significantly more convenient, and many more enhancements are
already in development. We first launched The Emirates App in the UAE
Apple store, our home market, a couple of weeks ago and the response has
been tremendously positive. We are now working to make the App
available on the iPhone and Android, and will be introducing many new
features in the coming months.”
With The Emirates App, users can:
· Book flights and view their personal travel itinerary on the go.
·
Manage every aspect of their booking, from seat selection to dietary
requirements. This feature is particularly useful for our frequent
flyers who can see all of their future trips in one place – and for
personal assistants who plan their manager’s travel.
·
Download their boarding pass directly to their iPad ready to print, send
it to their phone via SMS or email to use it as a digital boarding
pass.
· Have fun viewing the exact position of Emirates
flights on an interactive ‘Live Flights’ map and set alerts to track a
flight's status.
· Explore the Emirates experience - from
the award-winning ice inflight entertainment and fine dining, to the
signature A380 Onboard Lounge and Shower Spa.
· Book
complimentary Chauffeur-drive service for First Class and Business Class
travellers and find out more about Emirates’ exclusive lounges around
the world.
· Explore over 130 destinations with quick and handy guides.
·
Register for Emirates Skywards membership through the app. Start
collecting Skywards Miles as they fly, view their balance and history
and use their Miles to pay for flights and upgrades.